Takeaways from Maryland women’s basketball’s win over Syracuse: Smikle continues to dominate

Photo courtesy of University of Maryland Athletics

No. 11 Maryland women’s basketball (4-0) made its first road trip this season, traveling to Syracuse and defeating the Orange 84-73. 

Here are Wednesday’s takeaways.

Returners get it going

The transfers were the story for the Terps in the season’s first three games. Wednesday’s matchup with Syracuse was different, as returning players Shyanne Sellers, Allie Kubek, and Bri McDaniel made the difference.

“Bri [McDaniel] was a huge spark for us”, said head coach Brenda Frese. “Just made a massive impact from the minute she came in the game.” 

McDaniel finished with 13 points, six assists, and one steal. Sellers finished with seven points, four rebounds, and six assists. Kubek played her best game of the season, scoring 16 points, four rebounds, and two blocks. 

“I thought [Kubek] was really aggressive finishing plays”, said Frese. “I thought defensively, she gave us a lot with the size they had inside.” 

Smikle continues to dominate 

Kaylene Smikle, the junior transfer guard from Rutgers, continued her hot start to the season. The Terps’ leading scorer came in averaging 16.7 points per game and finished with 20 plus points for the third straight game, scoring at all three levels.

“She drew six fouls,” said Frese. “You see 100% from the free throw line. Percentages are great from the field [and] from the three-point line.”

Smikle is shooting 46.7% percent from the field, and is red hot from three, shooting 70%. Despite her hot start, the Terps feel like she is just scratching the surface. 

“We’ve got one part of her game that’s really good”, Frese said. “The other part we’ve got to work on is that we can consistently count on her defense and assists to teammates.”

Closing-out late

After falling down by ten early, Maryland dominated the second quarter against the Orange, taking a 42-31 lead into halftime. 

However, after gaining a lead as large as 13 in the third quarter, Maryland let Syracuse hang around like they did with Duke in its previous match.

Turnover issues to start the third lingered into the fourth quarter, allowing Syracuse to crawl back and get within four points with under four minutes to play. 

While the Terps dominated the final four minutes, they had opportunities to blow the game open earlier.

“Too many turnovers as we came out of halftime,” said Frese. “We could’ve put them away right there in the third quarter. So [that’s] an area we definitely need to improve.”